ALUMINUM HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

 An aluminum heat exchanger (1) with improved productivity and reduced production costs is provided by such a construction that its core portion can be self-supported without using any supporting tool during a brazing operation, comprising a core portion (13) comprising in turn aluminum tubes (2) and corrugated fins (5) which are laminated in a plurality of layers, ends of the tubes (2) being inserted into sheet metals (8, 12) and inserts (14) of highly strong iron or stainless steel inserted in U-shaped folded-back portions (18, 19) of the sheet metals (8, 17) while being kept in abutment with outermost-row corrugated fins (5), whereby the plurality of tubes (2) and corrugated fins (5) are pressed against each other from the both sides of the core portion (13) by means of the two inserts (14), thereby preventing the corrugated fins (5) from coming off during a brazing operation.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an aluminum heat exchanger and its manufacturing method having a reinforcing plate of the heat exchanger is assembled on both sides in a lamination direction of a core portion laminating alternately a tube in which liquid flows and a fin improving heat exchange efficiency, and a jig function when it is brazed.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] When a lamination type heat exchanger having a core portion laminating a tube and a fin alternately is manufactured, an expansion of the core portion by elasticity of the tube and the fin at a temporal assembly before a brasing operation or falling of the fin by declining of elastic holding force of the tube and the fin during the brazing operation under high temperature exist undesirably. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 11, core portion 104 of heat exchanger 100 is fastened and held by jig 105 and band 106 so that the shape of core portion 104 can be maintained until the brazing operation is over. Also as shown in Fig. 12, core portion 104 is fastened and held by winding wire 108 around inserts 107 being fixed at the outside of the outermost fins 102 of core portion 104 so that core portion 104 can remain the shape until the brazing operation is over. In Figs. 11 and 12, tubes 101 allow liquid flowing therein and sheet metals 103 support both end portions of tubes 101.

[0003] Thus, in the manufacturing method of the heat exchanger mentioned above, supporting tools such as jig 105, band 106, and wire 108 etc. are required to maintain the shape of core portion 104 until a brazing operation is over so that operation efficiency becomes bad and the number of working process increases. Consequently, productivity of core portions declines. Also, since it costs to have jig 105, band 106 and wire 108 which are scrapped after the end of the brazing operation, the cost of product becomes high.

[0004] Thus, in order to remove fixing jigs such as jig 105, band 106, and wire 108, a technique that side plates of a core portion having a jig function are pressed and held by a core plate is disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 62-45478. The technique is effective for soldering a core portion of a copper heat exchanger. The melting point of copper is much higher than that of solder so that copper can maintain a jig function at around the temperature at which solder melts. However, when a core portion of an aluminum heat exchanger is brazed, both melting points of an aluminum core material and an aluminum blazing filter metal are roughly the same so that the aluminum core material softens around a temperature at which the filter metal melts and looses its jig function. Thus, it is improper to apply the technique mentioned above for an aluminum heat exchanger.

[0005] It is an object to provide a heat exchanger of which core portion has self-holding function without using special tools during a brazing operation of the core portion in a manufacturing process of an aluminum heat exchanger, and realizes improved productivity and reduction of product cost of an aluminum heat exchanger.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0006] The present invention to achieve the object described above adopts a heat exchanger including: a core portion laminating alternately a tube having heat exchange liquid flowing therein and a fin disposed between adjacent tubes to improve heat exchange efficiency; a first tank having a sheet metal having insert holes inserting one end portion of the tube; a second tank having a sheet metal having insert holes inserting the other end portion of the tube; and inserts assembled at both sides in a lamination direction of the core portion and fastening the core portion, wherein the core portion, the first tank and the second tank are made of aluminum type metallic material being lightweight and having low strength, the inserts are made of metallic material having higher melting point and higher strength than the aluminum type metallic material, and the inserts are fixed to be covered from an outside by the first tank and second tank.

[0007] The operation and the effect of the present invention will be explained.

[0008] In a temporal assembly process before a brazing operation, in a heat exchanger of the present invention, a metallic material having higher strength than aluminum is used for inserts. Therefore, even if the core portion tries to expand in a lamination direction by elasticity of corrugated fins and tubes of the core portion, the core portion does not expand because of being pressed firmly by two inserts, deviation in dimension of the core portion is not created.

[0009] During a brazing operation, the aluminum heat exchanger placed in a heating furnace is heated until around 600 _° C and blazing filter metal is fused so that the aluminum heat exchanger is brazed. The core portion is held firmly to be pressed from both sides by inserts having a higher melting point and strength than aluminum. Also, since the inserts do not soften at around a melting point of an aluminum type filter metal and still have enough strength, a sufficient jig function can be shown even under high temperature during a brazing operation.

[0010] Since the insert is fixed to be held from an outside by a first tank and a second tank, that is, a member forming the tank is temporally fixed to the insert to cover it from the outside, the blazing filter metal melts. Also, since the insert becomes free from a tank material holding the insert at a brazing operation when an aluminum tank material is softening, a difference of thermal expansion coefficient between aluminum and a high melting point and high strength material (iron or stainless in the embodiment) under high temperature can be absorbed.

[0011] Thus, the aluminum heat exchanger in the present invention can improve strength of the core portion with holding the core portion with two inserts made of a high strength material. Since a jig function is maintained even under high temperature during a brazing operation, special tools like a band and a wire are unnecessary so that the number of assembly processes and the cost can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] 

Fig. 1 is a front view illustrating an aluminum heat exchanger of a first embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a main portion of the aluminum heat exchanger of the first embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a front view illustrating a core portion of the aluminum heat exchanger of the first embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating an insert of the first embodiment;

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a core portion before a brazing operation;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the core portion at the brazing operation;

Fig. 7 is a view illustrating a main portion of the aluminum heat exchanger of a second embodiment;

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a main portion of the aluminum heat exchanger of a third embodiment;

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a main portion of an insert of a fourth embodiment;

Fig. 10 is a view illustrating a main portion of the aluminum heat exchanger of a fifth embodiment;

Fig. 11 is a front view illustrating a core portion of an aluminum heat exchanger in the prior art; and

Fig. 12 is a front view illustrating an aluminum heat exchanger in the prior art.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter embodiments adopting a heater core for heating of an automotive air-conditioner according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] Fig. 1 through Fig. 6 are illustrating a first embodiment. Fig. 1 is a view illustrating an aluminum heat exchanger of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating a main portion of the aluminum heat exchanger.

[0015] Aluminum heat exchanger 1 of the first embodiment is used as a heater core for an automotive hot water type heating system having a heat source of engine cooling water. Aluminum heat exchanger 1 composes a plurality of tubes 2 which have engine cooling water flowing therein, upper tank 3 connecting at top ends of tubes 2 and lower tank 4 connecting at lower ends of tubes 2.

[0016] Tubes 2 heat blown air by heat- exchanging engine cooling water flowing therein and blown air being blown to an interior of a vehicle. Tube 2 is a clad material laminating a blazing filter metal on a surface of a core material and formed into a flattened tubular shape. The core material of tube 2 is made of aluminum material which is the first metallic material having the thickness of about 0.3mm to 0.35mm, for example, 3000 series aluminum composition metal having a melting point of about 650 °C. Blazing filter metal is aluminum system filter metal having lower melting point than the core material, for example, 4000 series aluminum composition metal having a melting point of about 600 °C

[0017] Corrugated fin 5 is connected by brazing between adjoining two tubes 2 in order to improve a heat exchange efficiency. Corrugated fin 5 is made of the same aluminum material as tube 2 and made into a corrugated shape.

[0018] Upper tank 3 is connected by blazing at an opening side of top capsule 6 having box-shaped with a base and includes sheet metal 8 forming insert holes 7 to insert top ends of tubes 2. Top capsule 6 and sheet metal 8 are made of a clad material laminating a blazing filter metal at the surface of a core material of the same aluminum material as tubes 2.

[0019] The inside of upper tank 3 is divided by partition walls not shown in the figure into inflow chamber 3a which has engine cooling water entering from an engine water jacket therein and outflow chamber 3b which has engine cooling water returning to the engine water jacket therefrom. Inflow pipe 9 is connected at a side wall toward inflow chamber 3a of upper tank 3 by blazing. A cooling water pipe leading engine cooling water coming from engine water jacket to aluminum heat exchanger 1 is connected to inflow pipe 9.

[0020] Inflow pipe 9 and outflow pipe 10 are connected to the opposite surfaces of upper tank 3 opposing air flowing direction between tubes 2. Moreover, top capsule 6 and sheet metal 8 are temporally assembled by temporal crimping with claw portion 8a formed at sheet metal 8 before a brazing operation of aluminum heat exchanger 1.

[0021] Lower tank 4 is connected with box-shaped bottom capsule 11 with a base at an opening side of bottom capsule 11 and includes sheet metal 12 forming insert holes in order to insert bottom end portions of tubes 2. Bottom capsule 11 and sheet metal 12 are made of a clad material laminating a blazing filter metal at a surface of a core material of the same aluminum material as tubes 2. Moreover, bottom capsule 11 and sheet metal 12 are temporally assembled by temporal crimping with claw portion 12a formed at sheet metal 12 before a brazing operation of aluminum heat exchanger 1.

[0022] In the first embodiment as shown in Fig. 3, core portion 13 of aluminum heat exchanger 1 is formed by laminating tubes 2 and corrugated fins 5 and assembling sheet metals 8 and 12 at a top and a bottom end portions. Each of two inserts 14 made of the second metallic material having a higher melting point and higher strength than an aluminum material used for tube 2 and corrugated fin 5 is assembled and fixed at both outermost sides in a lamination direction of tubes 2 of core portion 13.

[0023] Two inserts 14 are the reinforcing plates of the present invention and are made of a metallic material like iron or stainless having plate length of about 100mm to 260mm, plate width of about 16mm to 36mm and plate thickness of about 0.6mm. As shown in Fig. 4, two ribs 15 and two flanges 16 for reinforcing in longitudinal direction on inserts 14. Ribs 15 are formed in order to bulge toward an outside in a lamination direction of tubes 2 and flange 16 is bent to the outside.

[0024] Two insert pieces 17 is formed at each of both sides in longitudinal direction of two inserts 14. At temporal assembly of core portion 13, that is, before a brazing operation of aluminum heat exchanger 1, insert pieces 17 are inserted to be held from the outside by U-shaped folded pieces 18 and 19 formed at sheet metals 8 and 12 with contacting the outermost corrugated fin 5. Also, inserts 14 press tubes 2 and corrugated fins 5.

[0025] Next, a brazing operation of aluminum heat exchanger 1 in the first embodiment will be explained according to Fig. 1 through Fig. 4. Top end portions of tubes 2 are inserted into insert holes 7 formed at sheet metal 9 of upper tank 3. Also, bottom end portions of tubes 2 are inserted into insert holes 7 formed at sheet metal 12 of lower tank 4. Corrugated fins 5 are inserted between adjoining tubes 2 and both end portions of two inserts 14 with both sides contacting the outermost corrugated fins 5 are inserted to be held from the outside by U-shaped folded pieces 18 and 19 formed at sheet metals 8 and 12 respectively. Moreover, top capsule 6 is temporally assembled to sheet metal 8 by temporal crimping claw portion 8a. Bottom capsule 11 is temporally assembled to sheet metal 12 by temporal crimping claw portion 12a.

[0026] Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, aluminum heat exchanger 1 is temporally assembled as mentioned above. At this time, even if core portion 13 tries to expand toward the outside lamination direction of core portion 13 by elasticity of tubes 2 and corrugated fins 5, core portion 13 does not expand since two inserts 14 are made of a high strength material like iron or stainless. Other than that, the more core portion 13 expands in the outside lamination direction, the more core portion 13 contacts to be pressed by inserts 14 so that dimensions of core portion 13 does not deviate after a brazing operation is over since inserts 14 holds core portion 13 firmly.

[0027] Next, flux is spread on a surface of aluminum heat exchanger 1 by spraying powdered flux or by spreading flux dissolved in water so that a blazing filter metal is spread uniformly. After that, aluminum heat exchanger 1 is put in a heating furnace and heated up until around 600 _° C to melt the filter metal and a brazing operation is performed. At that time, since a melting point of core materials of tube 2 and corrugated fin 5 is about 650 °C which is close to the melting point of a blazing filter metal, the aluminum core material with claded filter metal also quite softens. Therefore, conventionally, if the same aluminum material is used for inserts 14 as other parts, since jig function of inserts 14 and holding function by elasticity of tubes 2 and corrugated fins 5 are lost, corrugated fins 5 fall down and the contact state between tubes 2 and corrugated fins 5 becomes weak during a brazing operation without jig 105, band 106 or wire 108. However, in the present invention, core portion 13 is held firmly to be pressed by inserts 14 made of iron or stainless with high melting points and high strength. Inserts 14 still have enough strength without softening around a melting point of aluminum type blazing filter metals and they are made of iron or stainless. Therefore, such deficiency does not occur.

[0028] Although core portion 13 is held from both sides by iron or stainless inserts 14, thermal expanding way of aluminum, iron or stainless are different under high temperature at a brazing operation. The following scheme is necessary in order to absorb the differences of thermal expansion coefficients.

[0029] Before a brazing operation as shown in Fig. 5, core portion 13 expands in a lamination direction by elasticity of tubes 2 and corrugated fins 5. If core portion 13 is exposed of high temperature in a heating furnace during a brazing operation, core portion 13 formed by tubes 2, corrugated fins 5 and sheet metal 8 expands by thermal expansion of aluminum not only in a lamination direction 50 but also in direction 51 paralleling to tubes 2. At that time, iron or stainless inserts 14 having smaller thermal expansion coefficient than aluminum do not follow the expansion of core portion 13, especially the expansion in direction 51 paralleling to tubes 2. Therefore, at temporal assembly before a brazing operation, if sheet metal 8 and inserts 14 are fixed firmly, force F1 acts on connection portion 52 of sheet metal 8 and inserts 14 in the direction to prevent expansion of core portion 13 and force F2 by thermal expansion of core portion 13 acts on the other portion of sheet metal 8. Thus, sheet metal 8 becomes buckled. Therefore, inserts 14 are better to be temporally fixed to sheet metal 8 with small force.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 2, in the present invention, inserts 14 are inserted so as to be covered from the outside by folded pieces 18 and 19 formed on sheet metals 8 and 12 respectively, that is, sheet metal 8 is temporally fixed so as to cover inserts 14 from the outside. Therefore, at a brazing operation with a blazing filter metal melting and aluminum sheet metal 8 quite softening, joint portion 52 (shown in Fig. 6) of sheet metal 8 and inserts 14 actually become free. Thus, since force F1 in the direction to prevent thermal expansion does not act on sheet metal 8, sheet metal 8 is not buckled. On the other hand, as regards an extension in lamination direction 50 by thermal expansion of core portion 13, since sheet metal 8 is made of aluminum just like tube 2 and corrugated fin 5 comprising core portion 13, core portion 13 and sheet metal 8 extend with the same degree of thermal expansion so that the deficiency mentioned above does not occur.

[0031] In the present invention, material used for inserts 14 is iron or stainless not aluminum used conventionally. The thickness of inserts 14 is about 60% of conventional aluminum inserts. Since iron or stainless is higher strength than aluminum, the thickness is enough to have a jig function at a brazing operation. As shown in Fig. 5, before the brazing operation, core portion 13 tries to expand in lamination direction 50 by elasticity of tubes 2 or corrugated fins 5. If thickness of inserts 14 of a high strength material is the same as the conventional one, a force preventing expansion of core portion 13 acts excessively and tubes 2 and corrugated fins 5 forming core portion 13 become buckled.

[0032] The brazing operation is finished with taking out aluminum heat exchanger 1 from a heating furnace and cooling it down at room temperature.

[0033] The operation of aluminum heat exchanger 1 is similar to that of a conventional heater core of automotive air-conditioner so that engine cooling water being warmed in an engine water jacket flows into inflow chamber 3a fixed in top capsule 6 of upper tank 3 from inflow pipe 9. The engine cooling water flowing into inflow chamber 3a flows in tubes 2a for an approach route, goes toward lower tank 4 and flows into bottom capsule 11 of lower tank 4. The engine cooling water flowing into bottom capsule 11 flows into outflow chamber 3b by way of tube 2b for a return route connected to inflow chamber 3b. The engine cooling water flowing into inflow chamber 3b from tube 2b goes to the engine water jacket by way of outflow pipe 10 fixed at top capsule 6. At this time, the engine cooling water flowing in tubes 2a and 2b heats up air by heat exchanging the air flowing in a blow duct. Thus, an interior of a vehicle becomes warm.

[0034] As mentioned above, when aluminum heat exchanger 1 is heated up in a heating furnace to be brazed, core portion 13 is held by two inserts 14 so that core portion 13 can be brazed without using holding tools such as a jig, a band or a wire for core portion 13. That is, since core portion 13 maintains temporally assembled state without using holding tools, corrugated fin 5 does not fall from adjoining tubes 2 and joint defective of tube 2 and corrugated fin 5 does not occur. Also, deviation of dimensions of a finished product of aluminum heat exchanger 1 is not created.

[0035] Since a brazing operation can be simplified without holding tolls to reinforce core portion 13, efficiency of a brazing operation can be improved and productivity of aluminum heat exchanger 1 can be also improved. The product cost can be reduced since the cost for holding tools become unnecessary.

[0036] Fig. 7 illustrates the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] In the first embodiment as mentioned above, as shown in Fig. 2, although inserts 14 are inserted to be held from the outside by U-shaped folded pieces 18 and 19 formed on sheet metals 8 and 12 respectively, in the fourth embodiment, step portion 18 is fixed at a joint portion of insert 8 of top capsule 6 forming upper tank 3. Insert 14 is inserted between step portion 18 and stand portion 8b of sheet metal 8. The side of lower tank 4 also has the same construction.

[0038] With the construction similar to the first embodiment, step portion 18 of top capsule 6 is assembled to be covered from the outside by insert 14. Thus, at the brazing operation which a blazing filter metal melts and sheet metal 8 softens, since insert 14 becomes free from step portion 18 and stand portion 8b of sheet metal 8, difference of thermal expansion coefficient between aluminum and iron or stainless can be absorbed.

[0039] Fig. 8 illustrates the third embodiment of the present invention and the main portion of aluminum heat exchanger 1.

[0040] In the third embodiment, at temporal assembly of aluminum heat exchanger 1, aluminum brazing foil 21 is fastened between insert 14 and corrugated fin 5 at the outermost portion of core portion 13 and they are connected by putting in a heating furnace. Therefore, since core portion 13 can be perfectly unified with insert 14, reinforcing effect of core portion 13 better than the first embodiment is obtained. That is, pressure tightness of tube 2 and rigidity of corrugated fin 5 can be improved.

[0041] Fig. 9 illustrates the fourth embodiment and a main portion of aluminum heat exchanger 1.

[0042] Insert 14 of the third embodiment is made of metallic plate aluminum-silicon type plating 23 plating on the surface of metallic core 22. Thus, since insert 14 is protected from rusting, durability can be improved. Since aluminum-silicon type plating has almost the same component as a blazing filter metal and the melting point is also similar to that of a blazing filter metal, aluminum-silicon type plating can be used as a filter metal. Like the second embodiment, corrugated fin 5 at the outermost portion of core portion 13 and insert 14 can be connected by blazing. However, according to the inventors of the present invention, about 35αrn in thickness of plating is not enough for brazing so that about 70am in thickness is necessary. In the third embodiment, iron insert 14 is coated with aluminum-silicon type plating. Although an aluminum type blazing filter metal can be spread on iron insert 14, extensibility of iron and aluminum is different so that much difficulty is involved in the present situation.

[0043] The fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Fig. 10.

[0044] In the third and fourth embodiment mentioned above, in order to keep pressure tightness of tube 2 by improving rigidity of corrugated fin 5 of aluminum heat exchanger 1 using iron or stainless insert 14, amount of aluminum-silicon type plating of insert 14 is increased and brazing foil is added so as to braze insert 14 and corrugated fin 5. However, in the fifth embodiment, pressure tightness of tube 2 is improved by using tube 2 having bent shaped 60 and rigidity of insert 14 can be improved by forming rib 61 at insert 14. Therefore, pressure tightness of tube 2 can be kept without brazing iron or stainless insert 14 and corrugated fin 5.

[0045] In each embodiment mentioned above, although this invention is applied to aluminum heat exchanger 1, the invention can be also applied to a heat exchanger with a resin top capsule. In this case, only a core portion is put in a heating furnace at a brazing operation.

[0046] In the embodiment mentioned above, although this invention is applied to a heater core as an automotive hot water heater, the invention can be applied to an automotive radiator, an automotive oil cooler, a condenser or an evaporator of an air-conditioner for vehicles, houses or factories. Also, the invention is applied to a tube portion operating heat exchange at a pair of formed plates and a lamination type heat exchanger forming a tank portion lining up at one end or both ends of the tube portion. Insert 14 as a reinforcing plate can have a bracket for installing a heat exchanger at a casing or non-assembly members of a vehicle.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0047] An aluminum heat exchanger in the present invention can be used, for example, as an automotive heater core of hot water heater having engine cooling water as a heat source.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising:

a core portion laminating alternately a tube having heat exchange liquid flowing therein and a fin disposed between adjacent tubes to improve heat exchange efficiency;

a first tank having a sheet metal having insert holes inserting one end portion of said tube;

a second tank having a sheet metal having insert holes inserting the other end portion of said tube; and

inserts assembled at both sides in a lamination direction of said core portion and fastening said core portion, wherein said core portion, said first tank and said second tank are made of aluminum type metallic material being lightweight and having low strength, said inserts are made of metallic material having higher melting point and higher strength than said aluminum type metallic material, and said inserts are fixed to be covered from an outside by said first tank and second tank.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said inserts are inserted and fixed to be held from the outside by U-shaped folded pieces formed at end portion of each sheet metal of said first tank and said second tank.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said first and second tanks are formed from said sheet metal and a capsule, said capsule has a step portion at a joint portion of said capsule and said sheet metal, said sheet metal has a stand portion at said joint portion thereof and said insert is inserted and fixed between said step portion of said capsule and said stand portion of said sheet metal.

4. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein said aluminum type metallic material forming said core portion, said first tank and said second tank are aluminum composition metal, said inserts made of said metallic material with a high melting point and high strength is iron or stainless.

5. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein said fin is a corrugated fin and an aluminum brazing foil is fastened between said corrugated fin arranged at an outermost portion of said core portion and said insert during blazing.

6. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein said inserts are plated with an aluminum-silicon type plating on a surface of an iron or a stainless core material of said inserts.

Drawing